WILDLIFE lovers are in raptures after witnessing the equivalent of the Northern Lights in daytime – the spectacular shape-shifting of a flock of thousands of alarmed birds.

These incredible scenes of a starling “murmuration” are going viral after being filmed and put on social media by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

The sky ballet shows as many as 40,000 starlings swirling and whirling above the wildlife charity’s flagship nature reserve at Minsmere in Suffolk.

Starlings are known to form dramatic flocks prior to settling down to roost, but what makes these scenes so dramatic was the presence of a ravenous peregrine falcon.

By performing the coordinated manoeuvres with speed and precision, each starling’s wing almost touches every time the flock wheels, the effect is to confuse aerial predators such as peregrines and sparrow hawks.

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Autumn flocks of starlings normally start to build from November and can swell to 100,000 birds

A murmuration of starlings is an amazing sight, a swooping mass of thousands of birds whirling in the sky above, swooping and diving in unison

Rupert Masefield

“Forgive us for sharing starlings so much, but oh, how we’ve missed this spectacle – nothing so beautiful or exciting as seeing a peregrine stoop at tens of thousands of starlings, art and life entwined,” said the wildlife charity on Twitter as it released the incredible clip.

As Chris Packham and the Winterwatch team return to BBC Two screens this week, nature enthusiasts are also being invited to enjoy the season’s balletic show at Minsmere in the flesh.

Over the next few days, visitors to the coastal reserve will be able to watch the starlings cavorting over the sanctuary’s vast reedbeds from about 3.30pm.

RSPB spokesman Rupert Masefield explained: “A murmuration of starlings is an amazing sight, a swooping mass of thousands of birds whirling in the sky above, swooping and diving in unison. It's completely breathtaking to witness.

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Murmurations can be seen at several sites across the UK, including Brighton and Gretna Green

“We think that starlings do it for many reasons. Grouping together offers safety in numbers. Predators such as peregrine falcons find it hard to target one bird in the middle of a hypnotising flock of thousands.

“They also gather to keep warm at night and to exchange information, such as good feeding areas.”

Murmurations can be seen at several sites across the country, with those at Gretna Green, in Dumfries and Galloway, and Brighton Pier, Sussex, particularly spectacular.

Autumn flocks normally start to build from November and by late winter can swell to 100,000 birds at some locations.

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